The Land of Rabbits (Long Shot Love Duet #1) (26 page)

“That wet pussy of yours needs to cum again.” He replaces his fingers over my clit with my own, hoping I’ll get off. “You’re so goddamn beautiful. I wish you could see your face when you cum.”

“I want to see yours,” I plead.

He brings my leg up and lets me roll onto my back, both of us moaning when my pussy rotates on his cock.

“That’s better.” I reposition my fingers on my clit as his mammoth dick continues to fill me.

“Fuck.” He bites my lip, rocking quickly into me before taking a slow lunge... and another. “I’m gonna cum.”

“I’m close, too. So close.”

His cock stops at my opening, then rushes back in.

“Yes!” I call out.

He exhales and does it again, gliding partway out and springing forward in a quick assault, again and again, until I grab the back of his neck and say, “Don’t stop... I’m cumming!”

His body surges while his hefty cock explodes from my words. “Fuck,” he says in a gnarled voice. “Fuck... I’m gonna cum.”

He’s in the same intense moment... his feet curling and his warm cum spreading inside my body.

“I’m...” My head rises. “Oh, Quinn!” Every muscle in my body constricts. “Quinn!” I snap back and paw his chest. “Dear God.”

It’s unreal, my clit igniting into indescribable sensations, an orgasm so powerful the room spins.

He drops to the mattress, unable to move or speak. And I’m in the same state, trying to catch my breath while my clit thumps under my fingers.

After my heart slows, I glance at him with a satisfied grin.

“That was incredible.” I exhale. “So fucking incredible.”

“You look gorgeous. Your face is glowing like it’s on fire.”

He brushes my cheek and moves the hair that’s stuck to my sweaty face out of the way, leaning in for a soft kiss.

I smile at his romantic gesture, resting quietly in his arms, feeling safe and in higher spirits.

“Addie... I think I’m falling in love with you,” he whispers. “I... I know I am. I can’t believe it.”

I move back and he presses one finger over my lips to hush me.

“Don’t. I don’t want to know... just let me say it... all I ever wanted was to find someone like you. I didn’t think it would happen, but it has. I’ve met a woman who’s strong and loyal, playful and smart, and someone who I think loves me back, flat out for who I am. Our lives are turned upside down, but being here with you seems so fucking perfect.”

He lowers his finger and appears uncomfortable that he opened up.

“Shit, say something funny to clear the sappiness out of the air. Help me forget I just sounded like a total pussy.”

“No problem.” I clear my throat, swallowing hard from his passionate words. “You ready?”

He nods and finds a runaway grape on the mattress, popping it in his mouth with a grin before leaning on his elbow.

“You see, Quinn, my first fuck was in my childhood bedroom
and it sucked
,” we say the last part in unison and laugh. “My second...” I continue. “My second time was in a tent with a homeless guy I was starting to fall for, and I loved every damn minute of it. It was incredible. And my third time was on a kitchen counter. It turned out to be a wild and crazy bang. I couldn’t have asked for a better quickie...”

He gives me a warm kiss and asks, “And the fourth?”

“The fourth... the fourth time was in a whorehouse with a man who’s stolen my heart... and being with him in this moment is so fucking perfect.”

Chapter Thirteen

LIFE
WAS
PERFECT, at least in that moment. We had disappeared for one night, slept soundly in each other’s arms, showered together in the morning, shared teasing kisses, and were about to have another great fuck—when the fair-haired, blue-eyed Jack Jameson walked into the suite and said...

“Get your goddamn asses out to breakfast. You’re late. I hate this sorta shit. Don’t dis me unless you want your heads split open with an ax.”

Well, okay then.

The guy comes across as a rich-kid-lunatic, and he’s taking his bad mood out on us. Or maybe we’re the reason for his mood, either way, it sucks sitting next to him on the outdoor patio.

“Here ya go.” Quinn sets a plate of pancakes and a carafe of coffee on the iron table. He takes the seat next to me, both of us glowing from such a great night.

Jack, on the other hand, looks pale.

He stares at us from the opposite side of the table, using a fork to scratch his chin, ending up with four red marks on his skin.

His expensive grey dress shirt and dark jeans, gold watch and three gold rings, and a gun in a shoulder holster, all come together to give him the appearance of a gangster—either that or a gun-toting politician. And I still can’t believe how young he looks. He’s not much older than me. Can’t be.

“How’d you come to own Afterglow Retreats?” I ask.

“We’re not talking yet. Hold up until I’m ready.” He sips his coffee and reads the news on his cell, responding to texts as they come in.

“Doing okay?” Quinn whispers, taking a bite of pancake.

“After last night?” I smile. “Much. I can’t wait to spend more time together. What do we have to do today? Is there a work schedule?”

“It looks like the grounds were taken care of yesterday... I’d say the windows and the floors.”

“It’s so quiet.”

“Give it two days.”

“Can you shut up for a sec?” Jack asks, putting his giant feet on the table, an inch away from my food. His black oxfords jerk as he leans back and tucks his chin to continue reading.

I try to ignore him, drinking my coffee and enjoying the scent of my clean skin with each lift of my cup—a mix of almond soap and pear shampoo from this morning’s shower. The fragrances mingle with the pool’s chlorine and the fresh-cut grass, along with Quinn’s manly aftershave, our breakfast, and the pines. It’s olfactory overload, but also soothing, considering I’ve been coated in the pungent odors of sweat, dirt, and blood these past few days.

“I thought you wanted to talk.” Quinn says, anxious to hear what he wants. “Can you fucking read that later? Or at least let us talk while we’re waiting.”

Jack’s distracted by two men walking outside, each holding a plate of food and a drink. They nod, but he ignores them, shifting in his chair to make sure everyone has an unobstructed view of his gun.

I swear, a man who only knows how to exert power by using a weapon has major insecurities. Trent pulls the same stunts. Fucking grow some balls and be in command with words, or make it a fair fight by using your fists.

I’m on edge about weapons after having to use the blade at the river, and his being four feet away reminds me of how fucked up everything is... I wish I could skip two months, three months, four months ahead to see what the hell’s gonna happen.

“What type of knife did you use?” Jack peers over his cell with a stupid smile like he can read my mind. “That woman found in the Hudson was stabbed. Not once, either.”

“I don’t—”

“Yeah, yeah, you don’t know anything about her.” His feet drop to the ground and he mumbles, piercing a pancake and dragging it to his plate. He responds to another text, looking at me then at the cell, then at me, and the cell... wait, holy shit.

“Hey, that’s
my
cell! Who are you texting?” I reach out, getting my wrist grabbed and twisted. My arm and shoulder hit the table, the cell dropping and the gun out the second Quinn stands.

“Sit down,” Jack says. “Don’t be a dumbass. We’re just chillin’ this morning.”

“Let her go.”

“Sit. Your. Ass. Down!”

The gun points, Quinn lowers, and I’m released. I rub my wrist, giving him a dirty look.

“Call your aunt.” He places the cell in front of me, spinning it like a top. “And stop fucking lying to me.”

I have twenty missed calls from Nadine and a pile of voicemails. And this asshole next to me was pretending to be me, texting her back and forth. Fucker.

Addie answer your dang cell!

Sorry... poor signal... 1 bar.

Pick up!

I’m cool... what’s up?

Cool? What happened at the river!!!

U tell me.

What? Is that why you left?

Hold up.

Hold what? Call me RIGHT NOW!

“I said call her. Make it short and sweet.”

“What makes you think she’s my aunt?”

The cell rings and the screen flashes Nadine’s name. Not
Aunt
Nadine, just Nadine.

“Pick up. She’s not gonna stop ‘til you do.”

“I need time to think about—”

“Answer the goddamn phone!” he shouts, waving the gun like a loon.

The men a few tables away are whispering as they watch the show, and Trent just stepped outside, lighting a cigarette as he observes from a distance.

“Hello?”

“What the hell’s going on?” Nadine attacks with an urgent tone in her voice. “There was an article in the paper this morning about a body found close to where you said that camp was.”

“Oh.”

“Oh? Did you say, oh? Adlyn! Did you see something? Is that why you took off?”

“No.”

“That’s it, a one-word answer? What’s going on? You’re not picking up your cell. You’re avoiding me for some reason... I’m coming up there.”

“I’ll leave and you won’t find me.”

“What?” She gasps. “Why? Why would you do that?” She speaks fast, lost by my words. “Oh my God, you saw what happened. Are you hiding? Are you running away?”

“No, there’s just no reason for you to come up here. You’re acting foolish and putting pieces of a puzzle together that don’t fit.”

“If I find out—”

“You won’t.”

She stops for a moment, and I hear the TV flipping through news channels on her end. Quinn takes my hand and positions his chair closer to mine for support, while Jack takes another bite of pancake, signaling me to wrap up the conversation.

“I’ll call you tomorrow. I’m fine... I’ve gotta get off the phone and get to work.”

She remains quiet, still flipping through channels.

“Why don’t you believe me?” I prod for an answer.

“Because, I’m fully aware of
all
those times you lied to your mom.”

“What?”

“She used to call me every week complaining that you
never
told her the truth, you defied her left and right. She was at her wits’ end with your constant fibbing that last year.”

“That’s not true.”

“It
is
true and you know it. You lied to her about everything. Admit it! Admit that you’re lying now!”

Quinn flinches when he hears her screaming through the cell. I hold it away from my ear and wait for the line to be silent before saying anything else. I can’t talk over her... it will only escalate if I try.

“Put it on speaker,” Jack requests with a firm grip on his gun.

I sigh and press the button, setting the cell on the table.

“Nadine...” My fork twists between my fingers, producing glints of sunlight with each turn. “You’re making me sound like a monster. My mom loved me.”

“I never said she didn’t. I said she was troubled by your lack of honesty, and I am too. Did you know she used to follow you?”

“I knew,” I mutter.

“Every place you said you were going turned out to be a lie!”

“They weren’t lies!” I lose control, tightening my lips before I embarrass myself. “They weren’t,” I say softly. “Stop doing this. My mom must’ve exaggerated all that stuff to you. It wasn’t
that
bad. I was eighteen and wanted privacy, okay? That’s not unusual. It’s supposed to happen. It’s called rebelling against your parents. I’m sure you did it. All kids do... I wasn’t gonna say I was going to a party to get drunk. Fuck, this is so wrong. Stop comparing my past to this situation! Why do our conversations always have to turn out this way?”

“You know what? You’re right. I’ll base it on facts.” She turns up the TV so I can hear an update...

“... Witnesses have reported a fight the night before, between three men and a woman at a location upstream where the homeless are said to frequent. The victim, identified as Charletta Jones, is known for prostitution. A motive has yet to be determined for her murder. Trent Byers, who has a police record that includes arrests for teenage prostitution and theft in the Schenectady area, is wanted for questioning. The police are still...”

“Oh fuck,” Quinn groans. “Someone recognized Trent which means I’m next.”

“Quinn?” Nadine says. “Get away from my niece!”

Jack leans back, placing his clasped hands in his lap, listening and studying my behavior.

“Detective Connelly, of the Albany Police Department, made a statement earlier this morning, asking for help from the public...”

“We would appreciate it if people would come forward with any information they might have as we continue the investigation. We’re still in the process of gathering evidence from the scene where Miss Jones was removed from the edge of the river, and the area where an assault may have occurred the day prior...”

I look over at Trent, his shoulder resting on the building and his feet crossed, calm and composed as he listens like it’s no big deal.

“Adlyn. Margo. Moore.” Nadine’s slow voice fills the backyard. “I’m calling the police then I’m coming for you. Stay inside, lock yourself in a room, away from those men until I get there.”

“No, this isn’t—”

“Listen to me!” she screams.

“I killed her,” I whisper. “It was her or me.”

“Or both.” Quinn exhales as Jack chuckles, finding pleasure in all this.

“No cops,” he says under his breath.

“Y-y-you... what?” Nadine says.

“Did you hear me?” Jack raises a brow. “No cops. Make sure of it.”

I plead with Nadine, “You gotta understand what happened... you can’t call the police...”

I tell her about being pulled under and fighting to survive, hearing her cry when I mention there’re no credible witnesses, no way to prove it was self-defense, and no way I’m chancing going to prison. I’ll only be forced to step forward if Quinn’s arrested.

“No.” She sobs. “You have so much... let him. Just let him take the blame! The police will believe you over him. You come from a decent family. Let him take the fall!”